Introducing the Bremont Terra Nova Jumping Hour in Steel
For those of you who are not already familiar with Bremont, it is a British brand founded in 2002 with strong roots in the aviation and tool watch space. Most famous for their pilots watches, built in partnership with some industry titans, Bremont has also been known to take on a crazy complication here and there, including the GMT Perpetual Calendar they released this year (which admittedly is very cool). As they have moved away from the purely utilitarian pieces, Bremont has still maintained its rugged, tool-like aesthetic and applied it to some finer pieces bringing a refreshingly unique approach to today’s sport watch-saturated market. Their reinterpretation of the centuries-old jump hour complication is just that.
2025 has definitely been the year of the Jump Hour complication. Cartier, Maen, and many other brands brought one out at some point this year. In April at Watches & Wonders, Bremont debuted two jumping hour complications in Terra Nova cases: a montre à guichet in a Bronze case and a classic jump hour in a steel case. Clearly, they have been a big hit because the montre à guichet is back in a steel production model for everyone to enjoy. Let’s get into the details of the Terra Nova Alchemy.
The Basics:
Case: 38mm 904L steel case, satin and polished finish, 9.1mm thick.
Crystal: Sapphire.
Movement: Bremont calibre BC634, jumping hour automatic, 56-hour power reserve, developed with Sellita.
Water Resistance: 3 ATM / 30 meters.
Strap Options: Quick-release 904L steel bracelet or brown nubuck leather strap with cream box stitching.
Price: $5,100 USD on the bracelet, $4,800 USD on the strap.
Availability: Non-limited release, available October 2025.
The Juice:
The jumping hour has usually belonged to a very different kind of watch. The kind you’d expect from Cartier, Breguet, or Vacheron Constantin. Elegant, traditional, and far removed from Bremont’s tool-watch DNA. At first, it seems like an odd pairing. But it actually makes a lot of sense.
The Terra Nova Jumping Hour isn’t trying to be vintage or nostalgic. It’s an original design that mixes real-world toughness with a more refined complication. It feels like something that would’ve suited early explorers just as well as it does modern travelers. It fits the kit of a 1930s expedition and the wrist of a modern traveler. It pairs real toughness with a refined complication. And the specs back it up.
The layout is satisfyingly symmetrical: hour window at 12 o’clock, small seconds at center, and a minute aperture at 6 o’clock. All three are vertically aligned and surrounded by an uninterrupted brushed steel dial, giving it that “instrument panel” feel without looking like a parody of one. Whilst I had previously said that the Terra Nova Jumping Hour was a break from the classic Bremont watches, you can see that they are not straying too far from their roots. The small seconds hand, with its compass motif, subtly reinforces Bremont’s positioning as a brand rooted in adventure, without shouting it. I can easily imagine this piece strapped to the wrist of a daring aviator sometime in the 1930s.
At 38mm wide and just over 9mm thick, the Terra Nova Jumping Hour is impressively compact and wearable package. Hugging the wrist and sliding effortlessly under a cuff, this is something many watches, especially tool watches, struggle to achieve. You would be foolish to mistake this for a delicate piece. The 904L steel that constitutes the case and bracelet is notoriously harder to machine than standard 316L steel. ‘Why would you do that’ I hear you ask. Well, the payoff is a richer luster and better corrosion resistance, which are definitely not to be sniffed at with such exposed surfaces like the ‘dial’, if you can call it that.
Inside beats the BC634, a jumping hour calibre developed in collaboration with Sellita. It executes the hour change in under 1/10th of a second, and the jump is immediate and satisfying. There is no lag and no fade in the time display: these are the difference between a mediocre jump hour and an excellent one. It’s subtle in sound but snappy in execution: if you are not paying attention, you might miss it! This is complication gives the watch a mechanical charm that rewards attention.
Design-wise, the Terra Nova Jumping Hour is not coasting on vintage feel. This isn’t a retro reissue. It’s a reinterpretation of early 20th-century trench watches, filtered through a 2025 design sensibility. The cushion-shaped case feels purpose-built rather than decorative. And that’s what gives this piece real presence: it doesn’t try to be everything to everyone.
Final Thoughts:
Bremont’s made a bold move here. The renewed commitment to the Terra Nova Jumping Hour just shows that the watch is working well. Bremont has not released this to ‘jump’, if you will excuse the pun, onto the latest fad or trend. It really feels like Bremont fundamentally believe in the watch to help anchor their lineup.
So who is this watch for? It is definitely not a watch for everyone, but if you are looking for something off the beaten path that is still versatile and everyday-wearable, I would say that this is a compelling option for you. If you are tired of seeing the same GMTs and Chronographs floating around your feed and want something totally out of your comfort zone without compromising on brand, quality, or aesthetics, this is also for you. In short, this is an unconventional watch that can cater to a huge variety of collectors and I think Bremont have hit the nail on the head with this release.
If you want to pick up the new Bremont Terra Nova, it costs $5,100 USD on the bracelet or $4,800 USD on the strap. Find out more about the Bremont Terra Nova Jumping Hour Steel here.
